New Guinea impatiens plant named &#39;DUESSPLAV&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Impatiens  plant named ‘Duessplav’ characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; early and freely flowering habit; light violet-colored flowers with red purple-colored central stripes and petal bases; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Impatiens×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUESSPLAV’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY RELATED APPLICATIONS:

Title: New Guinea Impatiens Plant Named ‘Duessphotpk’

Filed: Sep. 8, 2015; concurrently with this application

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens×hybrida andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duessplav’.

The new Impatiens plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new uniform Impatiens plants with numerousattractive flowers and good garden performance.

The new Impatiens plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofa proprietary selection of Impatiens×hybrida identified as code numberNN-1166-X0000, not patented. The new Impatiens plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within apopulation of plants of the parent selection in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Encinitas, Calif. on Dec. 8, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Impatiens plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif.since Jan. 9, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this newImpatiens plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Impatiens have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duessplav’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Duessplav’ as a new and distinct Impatiensplant:

1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.

2. Vigorous growth habit.

3. Freely branching habit.

4. Dark green-colored leaves.

5. Early and freely flowering habit.

6. Light violet-colored flowers with red purple-colored petal centralstripes and bases.

7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the parentselection. Plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from plants ofthe parent selection in flower color as plants of the parent selectionhave dark lavender pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants ofImpatiens×hybrida ‘Duessphotpk’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patentapplication filed concurrently. Plants of the new Impatiens differprimarily from plants of ‘Duessphotpk’ in flower color as plants of‘Duessphotpk’ have hot pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants ofImpatiens×hybrida ‘Sakimp006’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,501.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants ofthe new Impatiens differed primarily from plants of ‘Sakimp006’ in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens were more compact than plants of‘Sakimp006’.

2. Plants of the new Impatiens and ‘Sakimp006’ differed in flower coloras plants of ‘Sakimp006’ have lavender-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Impatiens can also be compared to plants ofImpatiens×hybrida ‘SAKIMP017’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,753.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants ofthe new Impatiens differed primarily from plants of ‘SAKIMP017’ in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens were not as compact as plants of‘SAKIMP017’.

2. Plants of the new Impatiens and ‘SAKIMP017’ differed in flower coloras plants of ‘SAKIMP017’ have deep rose-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Impatiens plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Impatiens plant. The photograph at the bottom ofthe sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of‘Duessplav’ grown in a container. The photograph at the top of the sheetis a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duessplav’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in 15.25-cmcontainers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Encinitas, Californiaand under cultural practices typical of commercial New Guinea Impatiensproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 24° C. to 27° C., night temperatures averaged 18° C. and lightlevels averaged 4,000 foot-candles. Plants were ten weeks old when thephotographs and description were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens×hybrida ‘Duessplav’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary    selection of Impatiens×hybrida identified as code number    NN-1166-X0000, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About five to            seven days at day temperatures about 27° C. and night            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About three weeks at day temperatures about 27° C.            and night temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color, actual            color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,            water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate            temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading and            mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with about nine            to eleven lateral branches developing per plant; vigorous            growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 18 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 38 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 17 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.2 cm.        -   Internode length.—About 4 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Close to 187A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or in whorls; simple.        -   Length.—About 11 cm.        -   Width.—About 5 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrulate with ciliation.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Luster, upper surface.—Somewhat glossy.        -   Luster, lower surface.—Matte.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 183B. Fully            opened leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation, close            to 184A. Fully opened leaves, lower surface: Close to 148A            tinted with close to 183C; venation, close to 185A.        -   Petiole length.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 4 mm.        -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 184A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rounded and flat            axillary flowers; freely flowering habit, typically about 45            flower buds and open flowers per plant at one time; flowers            positioned above and beyond the foliar plane, flowers            typically face mostly upright to outwardly.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers typically last about one to two            days on the plant under greenhouse conditions; petals            self-cleaning, gynoecium persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse            conditions; in the garden, flowering from spring until fall            in temperate regions; early flowering habit, plants            typically begin flowering about eight weeks after planting.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm.            Shape: Ovoid, pointed. Color: Close to N74B and N74C.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4.5 cm to 4.7 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 2.2 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five per flower in a            single whorl; one upper banner petal, two lateral petals and            two lower petals. Length, banner petal: About 2 cm. Width,            banner petal: About 2.9 cm. Length, lateral petals: About            2.5 cm. Width, lateral petals: About 2 cm. Length, lower            petals: About 2.8 cm. Width, lower petals: About 2.4 cm.            Shape: Cordate. Apex: Cordate; emarginate. Base: Attenuate.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close            to N78A to N78B. When opening, lower surface: Close to N78C            to N78D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to N78A; central            stripes (especially on banner petals) and towards the base,            close to N74B; main color becoming closer to N78B with            development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to N74C;            central stripes, close to N74A; color does not change with            development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Three in a single whorl;            one modified into an elongated spur. Length: About 2 cm.            Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Narrowly deltoid. Apex: Apiculate.            Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 145C to 145D. Spur length: About 4.7 cm. Spur            diameter: At the flower, about 3 mm; towards the apex, about            1 mm. Spur texture: Smooth, glabrous. Spur color: Close to            145C to 145D.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm to 3 mm.            Angle: About 45° from stem axis. Strength: Strong; flexible.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five fused at            anthers; filaments free. Filament length: Less than 1 mm.            Filament color: Close to 1D. Anther size: About 4 mm by            6 mm. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther color: Close to 71D.            Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 158B.            Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            6 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 160C.            Style color: Close to 146A. Ovary color: Close to 146A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been            observed on plants of the new Impatiens.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Impatiens    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate temperatures ranging    from about 5° C. to about 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Impatiens plant named ‘Duessplav’as illustrated and described.